Ever been part of a sex cult? Me neither. Judging by the expressions of trepidation and excitement on the crowd filing into the Cupola on Thursday night, it was a new experience for everyone, and one we wouldn’t soon forget.

Gone were the familiar rows of chairs, replaced with an empty dance floor waiting to be filled – and once the Cousins’ set of wall-to-wall bangers began, it didn’t take long for eager dancers to flock to the front.

Dressed like a charismatic reverend from the deep South, front-man Cousin Tommy came out like a hurricane from the very start, powering through a setlist of originals and well-selected covers and swinging his hips like nobody’s business.

The kinky ‘Back Door Betty’ got the new cult converts in the mood, and the aptly named ‘Hot Love Cold Beer’ went down as well as the beverage itself on this steamy Thursday night. Guitarist Cousin Samwise made the crowd scream with a particularly dexterous guitar solo, and drummer Cousin Paul knew exactly the right rhythms to drive the cult into a frenzy.

A curious mix of Southern punk and sex-fuelled rock’n’roll, the Sex Cult Cousins are exactly the kind of energy injection you want for a great Fringe night out. Amen.

4.5 stars

The Sex Cult Cousins’ next gigs are March 7-9 and March 14-16 at 10.45pm at the Garden of Unearthly Delights, in the Cupola.

Get your tickets HERE.

By Jacquie Lee
Photo by David Jobling